Buccaneers face a tricky restart to the rugby season when they travel north to Dungannon for a crunch All Ireland League division 1B encounter at Stevenson Park on Saturday, kick off 2.30 pm. This is a vital test for both sides with Buccs, hot on the heels of leaders Clontarf, keen to maintain their momentum while the northerners simply cannot afford to slip further adrift as the league campaign heads into the crucial second phase.
Preparations have not been easy or perfect for this tie with Buccs being inactive on the playing field for six weeks due to the severe weather which has disrupted sports and indeed life in general since the end of November. Coach Hendre Marnitz has endeavoured to keep his charges fresh and organised with a good deal of indoor work, although this is perhaps less than ideal with such a competitive game looming. Dungannon, meanwhile, got one game under their belts when they defeated City of Derry in the Ulster Senior Cup final when a good start gave them a healthy cushion en route to success.
Dungannon will be formidable opposition on their very well appointed, compact ground. With Justin Fitzpatrick and Kieran Campbell at the helm, they will be well drilled and committed. They took the scalps of both Clontarf and Lansdowne at home but also lost there to UL Bohemian so, perhaps, are not invincible on their own ground. Like Buccs, they have a mainly youthful backline that packs plenty of pace and potential, particularly wings Chris Cochrane and Craig Gilroy who have worn the green for Ireland u20s while outhalf Paddy Jackson’s direct duel with Jack Carty will be worth monitoring. If Campbell does not play for the hosts, Jason Bloomfield is their likely scrumhalf and he, like fullback Conor Gaston, has featured with Ulster Ravens recently. Paul Magee skippers the team from centre where he links up with another experienced operator in Glen Telford. Jackson or Michael Lawton are their likely placekickers and, as both are reliable and consistent, Buccs must be disciplined.
Glen Sinnamon, Adam Duhig, and Mark Farquhar have been regulars in the front row trenches for Gannon this season but they may hope to spring Ulster duo Nigel Brady and Declan Fitzpatrick as happened last season. TJ Anderson and Ryan Caldwell are another pair of Ulster regulars who could feature to boost the endeavours of Michael Rainey and Ali Birch.
Buccs were not overly impressive in their last outing when they just held on to overcome Galwegians. But that was a derby game and also it is a good sign of a team when they prevail despite playing well below expectations. The midlanders will look to Kolo Kiripati, Garreth Halligan, Colin Watters, James Tormey, and Stephen Burke to lay the foundation for a successful trip to Co Tyrone. They will need to set the tempo and tone for Buccs’ younger forwards in a relatively settled pack such as Conor Higgins, Martin Staunton, Padraig de Burca, and Daniel Qualter. Marcus Madden and Dylan Rogers could also have big influences on the proceedings here.
Buccaneers also sport a fairly young and lively backs division with John O’Brien, Paul Harte, Adam Kennedy, and Carty still very much in their formative years at this level. All are potential score getters. Alex Hayman, Conor Lavelle, and David Connellan bring experience and guile to this department which could be boosted by the availability of Aidan Wynne and Brian Touhy for this eagerly-anticipated fixture. Workrate and leadership must be matched by enterprise and patience, and if Buccs get the mix just right, then they have talent and belief to fashion a tight win in what should be a gripping encounter.
Other fixtures
Buccaneers development squad travel to Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday for a Connacht Junior League division 1B tie, kick off 2.30 pm. The u19s have a Connacht League game away to Monivea at the weekend also. With a huge amount of fixtures being rescheduled, Buccaneers face Connemara in Galway on Saturday January 15 in the final Connacht Senior League fixture of the season while the u21 B team are home to Kilfeacle, also on 15. The development squad have a tough hurdle to overcome on Sunday January 16 when they make the short hop to The Green where doughty Creggs await a crunch Connacht Junior League test.
